By Greg Corcoran

The Yankees have been blessed with stability at second base ever since Gleyber Torres moved over from shortstop in 2022. Being able to pencil in 20+ homeruns, 25+ doubles, 10+ stolen bases, and a .750+ OPS the past couple of years has been a nice luxury. His best season may be yet to come (with the exception of the juiced ball year in 2019), with 2024 being a contract year for Gleyber. The overall depth at second base in the organization is strong. The Yankees should be able to find Torres’ replacement internally if he ends of leaving the organization in free agency after 2024.

In the event that Gleyber needs a rest day or is out with an injury, DJ Lemahieu could shift over from third base and fill in. Aaron Boone could also opt to use Oswaldo Cabrera or Oswald Peraza in that case.

As mentioned in a the article about shortstop depth, Cabrera and Peraza appear ready to take the next step in their development this year.

The Yankees have fantastic depth in the minor leagues at second base, especially when you consider that most of their shortstops could slide over to second base if the need arises. Strictly considering true second baseman, however, the minor league system is full of good second basemen with no shortage of potential and upside.

Jorbit Vivas was recently acquired in a trade with the Dodgers for Trey Sweeney. Vivas has had success through Double-A and will look to prepare himself for the MLB in 2024. Vivas is a good defender and a patient hitter. He makes a ton of hard contact and has average power for a second baseman. He could be the heir apparent at second base if Gleyber Torres departs.

Waiting in the wings in Double-A is Caleb Durbin. Durbin is coming off a fantastic season which he replicated in the desert during the Arizona Fall League. Durbin is an unbelievable contact hitter who gets on base with the best of them. He also steals bases at an alarming rate. He’ll have to increase his power to get serious consideration as a major league starter, but I’d be surprised at this point if he doesn’t make a career as a role player somewhere.

Below Durbin in High-A are Roc Riggio and Jared Serna. Serna will probably play a lot of shortstop this year, but I suspect he’ll end up as either a utility man or second base long term. Riggio is a ball of energy who plays with passion. He hit 18 homeruns in college last year, and after playing in the Big 12 should have a smooth transition to professional ball.

In Low-A, the Yankees will have Keiner Delgado and Enmanuel Tejeda playing most of the games at second base. Keiner is a switch-hitting dynamic player with speed, defense, and surprising power. Enmanuel had a great season in the FCL, with a .307/.465/.458/.923 quad slash. He had five homeruns, four doubles, three triples, and 24 SB. He walked 44 times and struck out 44 in 50 games. He’s part of a deep, polished group of middle infielders heading to Tampa this year.

Gabriel Terrero is another switch-hitting second baseman who has a lot in common with Keiner Delgado. He’s patient, polished, and has excellent pop for his size.  Luis Ogando had a big year in the DSL in 2023 and should be a part of another talented FCL team this year.

Second base is another position that figures to be a strong point for the Yankees in the minor leagues in the coming season. From the major leagues all the way down to the FCL, there are exciting players to watch at every level.

The post Yankees organizational depth: second basemen appeared first on NYY UNDERGROUND.

By Greg Corcoran

Up the middle talent is at a premium in minor league baseball. This is because of the role flexibility these players provide. A first baseman, for example, will never be able to switch positions if there is a star player ahead of them on the depth chart. Conversely, if a shortstop has another star player ahead of them, there is a high likelihood they would be able to transition to second base, third base, or even the outfield.

Of all positions on the field, the Yankees’ depth at shortstop might be their strongest. At the top of that chart is Gold Glove winner Anthony Volpe. There were many ups and downs in his first season. The defense never wavered, which carries a lot of weight at the most important position on the diamond. Volpe showed promise offensively. He hit 21 homeruns and stole 24 bases. His average was disappointing, and he struck out at a high rate, but he was a 22-year-old rookie who should only improve from here.

Behind Volpe on the depth chart is Oswald Peraza. Peraza is a wizard defensively. He makes all the routine plays and has the athleticism to make some spectacular ones too. Oswald also struggled with the bat in 2023. He couldn’t get above the Mendoza line and did not hit for power. Peraza is a top prospect in his own right and has years of minor league success under his belt. He is still young and has a ton of potential.

A recent post on social media showed that Peraza has put on a ton of muscle in the offseason. He is clearly stronger and more cut up. This could lead to a drastic improvement in his performance at the plate. Peraza still has options, so he may start the season in Triple-A and could be ready to take over at shortstop or second base if there is an injury. He could also serve as a utility man for the major league team, as he is capable of playing second or third base as well.

The Yankees have a third player on the major league roster who can play shortstop, Oswaldo Cabrera. Cabrera is coming off a down year at the plate where he perhaps suffered due to some inconsistent advice. Cabrera has impressive versatility and the ability to hit for power when he’s right. He took the offseason seriously and appears significantly bigger and stronger than he was in 2023. If given the opportunity, Oswaldo could surprise and redeem himself after the sophomore slump.

The Yankees will also have Kevin Smith and Jeter Downs in Triple-A in case of injury in 2024. Smith has struggled in limited major league action thus far in his career but has been good at the minor league level. He even hit 16 homeruns in just 42 games in Triple-A last year. It’s been a few years since Downs had a successful season, even in the minors, but perhaps the Yankees can recapture some of the magic.

Down in High-A, the Yankees have an infielder named Jared Serna. Serna is known as a second baseman, but last year he played 26 games at shortstop and the Yankees were impressed with him.  In addition to defensive versatility, Serna can really hit. He had 19 homeruns and a .284 average in 122 games last season. Even more, he had a .350 OBP while striking out just 90 times. He then went to the Mexican Winter League and won the rookie of the year there. Jared is emerging as a top prospect and a great piece of depth for the Yankees.

Just below Serna in Low-A is where the real excitement begins. The Yankees have four players capable of playing shortstop at the level. Two of them have the potential to be world class prospects. The other two are no slouches themselves.

Roderick Arias has all the talent in the world. He is a 5-tool shortstop. Defensively, he’s one of the best the MILB has to offer. Offensively, he is blessed with power, speed, and the ability to barrel the ball.

George Lombard Jr. was the Yankees’ first round pick in 2023. He is another 5-tool shortstop. A tremendous athlete, Lombard has the potential to become an elite prospect if things break right. He was impressive with a short cup of coffee at Low-A last year.

Keiner Delgado is a special prospect in his own right. He’s on the smaller side, but this switch-hitter packs a punch. He had eight homeruns in 49 games in the FCL last year. He also had more walks than strikeouts at the level, an impressive feat. Delgado has positional versatility and has the polish to move quickly through the Yankees’ system.

Hans Montero was a higher profile signing who took a bit longer to come out of his shell. In his third year with the Yankees, Montero finally broke through with five homeruns and an .823 OPS in the FCL. He should see time in Low-A this year.

In the rookie leagues, the Yankees should have a few shortstops coming over from the DSL, though the draft may impact who we see there. The most likely candidate to be the starter for the FCL this year is Santiago Gomez, who is 19 and hit .284/.467/.403/.870 with two homeruns, 10 doubles, and 20 SB in 41 games in the DSL last year. He had 31 walks and 33 strikeouts.

As far as international free agents go, they are the favorites to sign a kid named Wandy Asigen in 2025, who is likely the best unsigned international shortstop in the world at the moment. They signed Dexter Peralta as part of the 2024 class, a switch-hitter with good contact skills and hard contact. Peralta could also factor into the long term shortstop picture.

The future is bright for the New York Yankees at shortstop. They have multiple options in the major leagues, several high-end prospects in the lower minors, and a pipeline of talent that appears to be continuing at least until 2025. Before long some of these prospects should begin to pay dividends in one way (helping the Yankees) or another (via trade).

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